Who will be the interim mayor? City council to make major appointment on Tuesday

Thursday

Jan 3, 2013 at 3:15 AM

By Ellen W. ToddSanford News Writer

SANFORD — Next week, at its first meeting of the year, the new City Council will appoint one of its members to serve as Sanford’s first mayor.

The councilor appointed at the Jan. 8 meeting will serve as interim mayor for 10 months, until November when voters will choose Sanford’s first elected mayor. The first mayor elected by voters in November will serve a three-year term and subsequent mayors will be elected to two-year terms.

Under the terms of Sanford’s new charter — which was approved by voters on Nov. 6, 2012 — the mayor will be recognized as the head of the city’s government for all ceremonial purposes, but will have no regular administrative or executive duties other than those described in the charter. The mayor will be a member of the city council, will preside over council meetings, and will, in consultation with the city manager, develop the agenda for council meetings. The mayor will also (after consultation with the council) represent the city council in all dealings with the city manager, advisory boards, commissions and committees.

In anticipation of next week’s first city council meeting, the Sanford News asked each council member if he or she is interested in filling the seat of interim mayor as Sanford makes the transition to a city and implements the changes outlined in the 2012 charter. Only Council Chair Alan Walsh was not available for comment, despite several attempts to reach him.

Councilor Maura Herlihy, who has served two three-year terms on the council and is in the second year of her third term, said she is interested in the position because she would like to see a more efficient city council. Herlihy said she would like to see issues such as zoning and solid waste and recycling move through the council more quickly — something she believes could be accomplished by making better use of the council’s subcommittee process.

Councilor Joseph Hanslip has served on the council since 2005 and was chair from 2008 to 2010. He is currently in the second year of his third elected term. Hanslip said he is not interested in the interim position and is supporting Herlihy for the position.

Hanslip added that he would be interested in serving as interim deputy mayor.

Councilor Bradford Littlefield was appointed to a position on the council in 2003 and is currently in the third year of his third elected term. Littlefield said he is not interested in the interim mayor position because has a lot of commitments.

“I just felt I had to back away from some things,” he said during a phone interview this week. He said he had committed his support to Herlihy.

Kenneth Burgess, who is in the third year of his first term on the council, said he is not interested in being interim mayor.

“I’m not sure I have the time available,” he said.

Richard Wilkins, who won election to a second three-year term on the council in November, said he had given much thought to being interim mayor and said he didn’t know if he would accept the position if asked.

Fred Smith was elected to his first three-year term on the council in November and will be sworn in next week. As the newest councilor, he is “not at all” interested in being interim mayor.

“You’ve got to learn to walk before you can run,” Smith said this week.